Agrimart May 2025 Issue by Agrimart

Uk’s No.1 Choice for Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

BLINKBONNY QUARRY

• ALL GRADES OF AGGREGATE PRODUCED

• DELIVERY

• COLLECTION

• READY-MIX CONCRETE

• AGRICULTURAL MIXES FOR ALL PURPOSES

• DELIVERY AND COLLECTION

FOR SALES AND ORDERS CALL BLINKBONNY WEIGHBRIDGE: 01573 460200 or 07974 968148

PART OF BREEDON GROUP– FOR OTHER LOCATIONS PLEASE VISIT: https://www.breedongroup.com/location-finder

Here at Glendale Engineering, we are proud to be able to say that we have over 35 years’ experience designing and manufactur ing Agricultural Buildings & Equipment.

• Special offers available on Cattle & Sheep Hurdles, Gates & Water Troughs •

Suppliers of:

-Cattle Handling & Feeding Equipment

• Cattle Handling & Feeding Equipment

-Sheep Handling & Feeding Equipment

-Sheep Portarace

• Sheep Handling & Feeding Equipment

- ATV Trailers

• Sheep Portarace

- Agricultural Buildings

• ATV Trailers

-Electronic Cattle & Sheep Weigh Systems

• Agricultural Buildings

- Large quantity of box section and pipe, Phone for special offers

• Electronic Cattle & Sheep Weigh Systems

• 9”x3” Timbers & 6”x3” Timbers In Stock

• Big Six Fibre Cement Sheets In Stock

Wooler : 01668 281464

Hexham : 01434 603078

Email : info@glendaleegineering.co.uk

Wooler : 01668 281464

Graeme Wilson : 07971 880275

Web : www.glendaleengineering.co.uk

John Common : 07981 890999

Bob Clapham : 07954 363979

info@glendaleegineering.co.uk www.glendaleengineering.co.uk

IBC Trailer ATV Trailers

Galvanised Calf Creep

Machinery Grass

Haddington Selkirk 01620 823171 01750 725725

Fahr

Kverneland ex-demo cultivator DTX300, 5 leg hydraulic reset, 24 cultivation discs

Special price!

Nugent heavy duty flatbed trailer £3750 2700kg, internal size: 3.05m x 1.84m marine ply flooring, Knott brakes, “silent” dropsides, lockable ramp store, LED lights.

Contact a member of our sales team:

Ian Chalmers: 07793 589 678 ic@hendersongm.co.uk

Allan White: 07501 088 177 apw@hendersongm.co.uk

William Smith: 07793 589 661 ws@hendersongm.co.uk

Kverneland ex-demo 3.0m wide grain & fertiliser, pneumatic drill, Isobus 11783

Special price!

Nugent general flatbed trailer £2950 2000kg, internal size: 2.54m x 1.5m, 18mm marine ply flooring, 340mm "silent" dropsides, fully galvanised and LED lights.

Trailedline 4.0 premium 18cu.m, weigh system, cross conveyor, heavy duty steering, air brakes, 2020 Y.O.M.

Agriculture | Horticulture | Servicing | Parts www.hendersongm.co.uk

Kverneland Geo-Spread IDC spreader, hydraulic disc control, 4 weigh cells, 3225 litre

Special price!

Nugent heavy duty plant trailer £3600 3500kg, internal size: 3.14m x 1.87m x 240mm closed-in sides, 18mm anti-slip plywood floor, Knott brakes, spare wheel, LED road lights.

Ambrogio Robot Mowers

L20 Deluxe special price £600 L20 Eliet special price £900 4.36 Eliet special price £2500

Contact William Smith on 07793 589661 or ws@hendersongm.co.uk

Deutz

6135 RV Demo unit 100 hour

Sawn

Sleepers

Gates

Round

Treestakes

Preservative

Fencing

Gates

Self Locking Yokes

Dog Pen Panels from £60

Water Troughs

Brushes

ATV Ramps Lamb Creep Feeders

2021 MASSEY FERGUSON 8S.225 DYNA-7 EXCLUSIVE

54KPH, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage And One Hyd Service, Rear Linkage, 4 Electric Services, Air Over Oil Trailer Brakes. Guidance Ready with ISOBUS, 600F & 50R Tyres.

Warranty to 04/05/2026 or 1800 Hours. 1,286 Hours, Tractor in use, hours might change.

£114,000+VAT Serial No. 328001

2023 MASSEY FERGUSON 8S.305 DYNA-VT EXCLUSIVE

54KPH, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage And 2 Hyd Services, Rear Linkage, 4 Electric Services, Air Over Oil ABS Trailer Brakes. Trimble Cenrimetre Radio Guidance, 2nd ISOBUS Screen, 600F & 710R Tyres.

Warranty to 05/08/2026 or 1200 Hours. 334 Hours, Tractors in use, hours might change.

£174,000+VAT Serial No. 151063

2024 MASSEY FERGUSON 6S.155 DYNA-6 EFFICIENT

54KPH, MF4327 Front Loader Ready (FL.4327 Loader Prices Separately), Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage And One Hyd Service, Rear Linkage, 4 Manual Services, Air Over Oil Trailer Brakes, 480F & 580R Tyres. 12 Months Warranty, 272 Hours, Tractor in use, hours might change.

£104,500+VAT Serial No. 268030

2023 MASSEY FERGUSON 7S.180 DYNA-6 ESSENTIAL

54KPH, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage And One Hyd Service, Rear Linkage, 4 Manual Services, Air Over Oil ABS Trailer Brakes, ISOBUS and Novatel Submetre Guidance. Warranty to 04/06/2028 or 1200 Hours, 473 Hours, Tractor in use, hours might change.

£103,500+VAT Serial

2021

54KPH, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage And One Hyd Service, Rear Linkage, 4 Manual Services, Air Over Oil ABS Trailer Brakes, ISOBUS and Guidance Ready, 12 Months Warranty, 129 Hours, Tractor in use, hours might change.

Serial No. 011005

FERGUSON 8S.205 DYNA-7 EFFICIENT

54KPH, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage and One Hyd Service, Rear Linkage, 4 Electric Services, Air Over Oil Trailer Brakes, ISOBUS and Guidance Ready, 600F 650R Tyres. Warranty to 17/11/2024 or 3000 Hours, Tractor in use, hours might change.

£97,000+VAT Serial No. 25908

54KPH, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage, PTO And 1 Pair Of Hyd Service's, Rear Linkage, 4 Electric Services, Air Over Oil Trailer Brakes, ISOBUS, Guidance Ready. Warranty to 15/08/2026 or 1200 Hours. 225

2023 MASSEY FERGUSON 6S.180 DYNA-6 EFFICIENT

54KPH, MF4327 Front Loader With Euro Carriage, Manual Locking And One Service, Front Axle & Cab Suspension, Front Linkage And One Hyd Service, Rear Linkage, 4 Manual Services, Air Over Oil ABS Trailer Brakes, 540F & 650R Tyres, Warranty to 15/03/2027 or 1200 Hours, 277 Hours, Tractor in use, hours might change.

£106,500+VAT Serial No. 300018

MASSEY

Loader sold separately

SECONDHAND TRACTORS/HANDLERS

FENDT 828 PROFI PLUS 67 Reg, 7700 Hours

FENDT 828 60kph, 16 Reg, c/w 6000 hrs, front linkage, 5 rear spools

MERLO TF30.9-PLUS 20 Reg, c/w 5300 hrs, air con, boom suspension

SECONDHAND MACHINERY

K2 EVO 1400 MUCK SPREADER c/w slurry door, 2014

AGRIWELD 4M FIXED MANTIS Front mounted Low Disturbance

AGRIWELD 3M MANTIS MOUNTED CULTIVATOR c/w 5 legs £18,850+VAT

BOMFORD HAWK EVO 6.5 2018, 1250 hours

FENDT 1290XD TANDEM AXLE SQUARE BALER c/w air brakes EX DEMO

KVERNELAND 853 PRO BEDDER 2012 build

KVERNELAND 853 BEDDER 2012 Build

MERLO 33.7 2950 Hours, Excellent Condition

SULKY 3M GRAIN & FERTILISER COMINATION UNIT full spec EX DEMO

SUMO 3M TRIO c/w 6 leg auto reset and packer. Straight leg model £9,500+VAT

SUMO 3M FRONT MOUNTED MULTIPACKA c/w tines

SUMO 6M TRAILED MULTI-PRESS c/w leading tines and press rings £39,950+VAT

SUMO LDS 4M FOLDING 2023, c/w Stocks seeder unit & Sumo SDO units

New Sumo Trio c/w auto reset legs, twin row of discs, packer roller, LED rear lights

TEAGLE 8100 TRAILED STRAWBEDDER c/w swivel chute, 2012 model

3 POINT LINKAGE WEIGHTS selection of new and used

NEW / EX STOCK

FENDT FORMER, SINGLE ROTOR RAKE 351

FENDT 130 F EX STOCK

FENDT 160 V COMBI EX STOCK

NEW NC FORK MOUNTED YARD BRUSHES 2.5m & 3m EX STOCK

NEW NC 16 TONNE DUMP TRAILERS (316 model), full spec EX STOCK

NEW TEAGLE 8500/9500/1010 STRAW/SILAGE BEDDER FEEDERS EX STOCK

MERLO TF35.7 Boom Suspension, LED work lights, Full spec NEW

MERLO TF42.7CS Cab & Boom suspension, LED work Lights, Full Spec EX DEMO

SKY X40+ ECONOV FERTILISER SPREADER weight cells

SKY X30+ FERTILISER SPREADER

SUMO 5-4-3 LEG SUBSOILERS c/w auto reset EX STOCK

SUMO 3M TRIO EX DEMO

TEAGLE DUAL 280 & 300 FLAIL TOPPERS

NRH 5 LEG SUBSOILERS auto reset c/w packa roller EX DEMO

NEW SUMO FRONT WEIGHTS 1000kg, 1500kg, 2000kg EX STOCK

X40+ ECONOV Fertiliser Spreader Weight Cells

Valtra Q305 73 Reg, 1875 Hrs, Front PTO, RTK, Pneumatic Front & Cab Suspension, 200L Min, Hydraulic Pump,

of 3 years 2400 Hour Warranty (option to extend)

LAND DRAINAGE

RIVERBANK PROTECTION/REPAIRS

TRACK RESTORATION WORKS

RIDING ARENAS

DRAIN JETTING/CCTV

FABRICATION/ENGINEERING WORKS

SNOW CLEARING SERVICES

PLANT HIRE

360° / 180° TRACKED/ WHEELED EXCAVATORS

D61PXI (GPS) DOZER

REAR TIPPING DUMP TRUCKS

TRACTORS & DUMP TRAILERS

WORKS

Rhymers Mill Industrial Estate, Earlston, Berwickshire TD4 6FA

CRUSHER, GRADER & COMPACTION EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD RESTORATION WORK

CONTRACT WORKS

PUBLIC & PRIVATE WATER MAINS

PUBLIC & PRIVATE WATER MAINS SPRING SUPPLIES

SPRING SUPPLIES

SEPTIC TANKS/PUMPING STATIONS

TREATMENT WORKS

SEPTIC TANKS / PUMPING STATIONS

DEEP EXCAVATIONS

TREATMENT WORKS

DEEP EXCAVATIONS

EARTHWORKS/GROUNDWORKS

THRUST BORING/UTILITY WORKS

360 / 180 TRACKED/ WHEELED EXCAVATORS

D61PXI (GPS) DOZER

MOLE PLOUGHING

Industrial Estate, Earlston, Berwickshire TD4 6FA

REAR TIPPING DUMP TRUCKS

FABRICATION / ENGINEERING WORKS

TRACTORS & DUMP TRAILERS

SNOW CLEARING SERVICES

PRIVATE WATER MAINS SPRING SUPPLIES

TANKS/PUMPING STATIONS WORKS

EXCAVATIONS

CRUSHER, GRADER & COMPACTION EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD RESTORATION WORK

CRUSHER, GRADER & COMPACTION EQUIPMENT

EARTHWORKS/GROUNDWORKS

BORING/UTILITY WORKS

DRAINAGE

CEMENT STABILISATION FOR ROAD RESTORATION WORKS PLANT HIRE

360° / 180° TRACKED / WHEELED EXCAVATORS

PROTECTION/REPAIRS RESTORATION WORKS

D61PXI (GPS) DOZER

JETTING/CCTV FABRICATION/ENGINEERING WORKS CLEARING SERVICES

REAR TIPPING DUMP TRUCKS TRACTORS & DUMP TRAILERS

STORES

TRACKED/ WHEELED EXCAVATORS DOZER

DUMP TRUCKS

DUMP TRAILERS

GRADER & EQUIPMENT

• Safety Boots & Clothing

• Tools and Accessories

RESTORATION WORK

• Chrome North West Cleaning Products

Here at Davidson Land Services Stores, we have a wide range of stock including:

• Consumables (Sprays, Paints, Nuts & Bolts Ect)

• Exol Oil, Grease, Brake Fluid Ect

• Viking Johnston Fittings

• Philmac Water Fittings

• Drainage Coils, Twinwall, MDPE & Soil Pipe

SGN Approved Contractor

Scottish Borders Council Approved Contractor

Scottish Water Approved Contractor

Mill Ind Est,

Mill Road, Earlston, TD4 6FA

HYDRAULIC HOSE SERVICE

We also offer a hydraulic hose repair service. We hold a wide range of hose & fittings in stock from 1/4” to 1 1/4” 4 Wire.

We have recently upgraded our machine and are now able to crimp up to 2” 4 Wire.

Proud to sponsor Event riders: Olivia Wilmot, Laura Swinnerton, Laura Mitchell, Ellie Bryce, Sarah Hutchison & Morag Sutherland

Border Chainsaw, Earlston

Thorburn Group, Duns

Lower Mansfield Road, Hawick, TD9 8AW

Willowford Farm, Jedburgh

Thorburn Group, Duns

Ritchie Bale Handler

Calf Creep

Portequip Mobile Dipper

Bateman Bespoke Cattle Handling

10 ton Log Chopper

Mobile Sheep Handler 26’ Trailer

The Old Smiddy, Graden, Kelso, TD5 8BS Telephone : 01573 430338 Email : info@walkergroundworks.com

Lothians

Our highly skilled and dedicated team are here to help with any of the following works Earthworks/Site Preparation/Roads Crushing Groundworks/Plotworks

Walker Groundworks are a long-serving company, established in 1996, covering a working area including but not restricted to the Scottish Borders, Northumberland and the Lothians.

Our highly skilled and dedicated team are here to help with any of the following works:

• Earthworks/Site Preparation/Roads

• Crushing

• Groundworks/Plotworks

• Deep Drainage

• Field Drainage & Ditching

• River Works

• Concrete Flooring for Agricultural/Industrial Shed (Laid with highly accurate Laser Screed, with finish to meet clients' requirements)

• All Timber work undertaken – including Harvesting, Hand Cutting, Thinnings & Clear Fell

• Haulage including Heavy Plant Movement, Timber Haulage & Hiab Hire

• In house Welding Engineer/Steel Fabricator

• In house setting out engineer/surveyor

• Ad Bl ue & ERG Sol ution s

• H GV Tr actor & Vehicle Tun in g

• Br ake Rol l er Testin g

• Pr eventative Main tenance In spection

• F ul l Se r vicin g facil ities

A MAJOR CELEBRATION

Hats off to him, for once he is thinking of me rather than himself and is at least wondering about how to celebrate my 70th birthday. 70 is a milestone in any life but for the likes of me it is a real ‘Cause Celebre’. How many times have I heard the question “Is she worth spending money on?” “Wouldn’t you better off scrapping her?”

It is a harsh reality when one thinks one is only a turn of the wheel away from the scrap heap. So many of my friends and relations have gone that way. Of the 3,200 of us made between 1952 and 1964 only a handful are still alive. I have almost covered 40,000 miles in my time, which is hardly ‘run in’ if you compare me with the London Routemaster bus with whom I share the same engine who would cover up to a million miles. My engine is in great nick, I always start at the flick of the switch. Granted my batteries struggle sometimes to maintain their charge and I have had an injector pump fail but overall I am in fine health apart from a leaking hydraulic pump which fills up my transmission with oil.

So how shall we celebrate – lunch or dinner? The former I think, as so many of my friends are too old for late nights. Marquee? – I could fill it with exhaust fumes and everyone would go home. Fresh air would be best. Entertainment? For me a ‘pull off’ but no doubt health and safety would not allow that.

At least he is thinking about it. The answer will be revealed soon! And what should I wear?

GILBERT BIRDSALL

BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING

Suppliers of Quarry

JCB Hire, Drives, Agricultural

(01668) 213433

PICKUPS FOR PEACE 19TH CONVOY

by Jack Parsons

If you haven’t heard of ‘Pickups for Peace’, where have you been?!

P4P was set up as a charity following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with the purpose of supplying 4x4 vehicles to help in a humanitarian capacity, enabling rapid extraction of wounded soldiers from the front line to receive medical attention. It is conservatively estimated that each vehicle will save 10 lives and P4P have now successfully delivered 595 vehicles.

The opportunity to join the 19th convoy was thanks to BMR donating a vehicle as a gesture of support from its 1,000 members. The “Whitehouse moment” between Trump/Vance and President Zelenskyy that we all witnessed on our televisions was the encouragement that my brother and I needed to sign up to the next P4P convoy.

We left home on Wednesday afternoon, fully loaded and headed for Newcastle ferry terminal, with a quick detour to Agriparts in Kelso for some essential supplies. The overnight ferry took us to Amsterdam where we set off for a 10 hour drive to our overnight accommodation in Poland. The weather was good and the roads excellent, so there was very little hardship so far.

We had a slightly shorter drive on Friday to the rendezvous location, just before the Ukrainian border. One of the trucks had to be abandoned by this stage with head gasket issues, so the passengers were collected by another vehicle in the convoy, while P4P contacts arranged recovery and repair for another day.

Border control into Ukraine was painless due to the military preparation and organising by P4P, and all of our slightly dodgy farm trucks were let through. From this point we were part of a police convoy where we stopped for nothing and had to keep nose to tail to the truck in front. We finally made it to Lviv on Friday evening with 24 4x4’s full of medical supplies and equipment to help on the ground. P4P were supporting a local orphanage on this trip so we also delivered over 100 pairs of children’s shoes donated by my wife’s shop and her customers.

While in Lviv we experienced unbelievable hospitality from the local people who were only ever keen to repeat their appreciation for the support being provided from the UK morally and physically. A nation who would be forgiven for being distracted by the seriousness of the situation, their spirt and positive attitude was incredibly humbling.

A visit to Field of Mars military cemetery on Saturday morning was a very sober reminder of the conflict which was affecting every Ukrainian family. Some of the best young genes of the country lay in avenues of graves from February 2022 to today and it was very obvious that we were all completely lost for words while we digested the horror of the situation.

We visited Central Plains Group with Dr. Keith Dawson for a fascinating tour around the 24,000t potato store and starch factory which was built within the last 5 years, remarkable considering not

The official handover ceremony of the pickups

the pickup donated by BMR

Sam and I at the beginning of the journey and arriving in Lviv

• Bigger fuel tank

• New dashboard

• More storage space

• New exterior design

• Higher air intake position

• Improved rider ergonomics

• Lighter weight but stronger frame

• Overall noise and vibration reduction

• Heatshield improvement on lower leg area

• 25% tighter turning radius over previous model

• Arched front A-Arms for increased ground

ALL LEADING BRANDS & SIZES OF TYRES & WHEELS

AGRICULTURAL TYRES

COMMERCIAL TYRES

CARS / VANS / 4X4 TYRES

PURPOSE BUILT DEPOT

FULLY EQUIPPED BREAKDOWN VEHICLES COMPUTERISED 4 WHEEL

For a free quotation or technical advice ring 01573 225454 or e-mail sales@candrtyres.co.uk

C & R TYRES LTD

STATION YARD, SPROUSTON ROAD KELSO TD5 8EU www.candrtyres.co.uk

Storage Tank Sales & Hire UK-Wide Service

Specialising in the supply of high quality used storage tanks and bowsers for sale and hire throughout the UK. We keep a varied stock of fully bunded and singleskinned mild steel, stainless steel, plastic and GRP tanks and bowsers ideal for storing fuels, oils, water, effluents, fertilisers and feed products

We also purchase tanks - please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

Andy mobile: 07853 905018 Tel: 01334 827 090

www.best-tanks.co.uk

info@best-tanks.co.uk

Northbank Farm, Cameron, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 8PE

Sauerburger Condor

Flails for the cutting edge

TRACTORS

John Deere 6110RC, 2016

John Deere 6120R, 2017

John Deere 6155M, 2019

TRACTORS

John Deere 6215R, choice

John Deere 6250R, Choice

John Deere 6900, 1997

John Deere 6150M

John Deere 6155R, 2021

John Deere 6155R, 2018

John Deere 6175R, Choice

John Deere 6195R, 2022

John Deere 6195R, 2015

John Deere 6210R, 2014

John Deere 6215R, 2019

TELEHANDLERS/WHEELED LOADERS

Kramer KT276, Telehandler choice

Kramer KT306, Telehandler, 2021

Kramer KT357, Telehandler 2022

John Deere 6930, 2010

John Deere 7R 330, 2021

CaseIH Puma 165, 2018 C

CaseIH JX80, 2006 J

Deutz-Fahr Agrotron 150, 2005 Ha Ford 7710, Row Crop Tractor, A reg A

New Holland T6.180, 2019 C Valtra T194, 2019 C

TELEHANDLERS/WHEELED LOADERS

Kramer KL38.5 Wheeled Loader J

JCB 531-70, Telehandler A

JCB 541/70, 2018, Telehandler

TRACTOR OF THE MONTH

Spec includes;

6 cylinder, 195hp engine

AutoQuad 40Kph transmission

Premium seat

NEW John Deere 6195M SPECIAL OFFER

540/65R30 front wheels – Trelleborg

65/65R42 rear wheels – Trelleborg

Four electric spool valves

TLS front axle suspension c/w brakes

Air trailer braking

Front Linkage

Twin beacons

1+4 Annual Payments @ 0% interest*

*Finance is for UK business users only and offered subject to terms and conditions

TRACTORS

John Deere 6110RC, 2016

John Deere 6120R, 2017

John Deere 6155M, 2019

TRACTORS

John Deere 6215R, choice

John Deere 6250R, Choice

John Deere 6900, 1997

John Deere 6150M

John Deere 6930, 2010

GRASSLAND/BALERS

John Deere 6155R, 2021

John Deere 6155R, 2018

John Deere 6175R, Choice

John Deere 6195R, 2022

John Deere 6195R, 2015

John Deere 6210R, 2014

John Deere 6215R, 2019

TELEHANDLERS/WHEELED LOADERS

Kramer KT276, Telehandler choice

Kramer KT306, Telehandler, 2021

Kramer KT357, Telehandler 2022

John Deere 7R 330, 2021

CaseIH Puma 165, 2018

CaseIH JX80, 2006

Deutz-Fahr Agrotron 150, 2005

Ford 7710, Row Crop Tractor, A reg

New Holland T6.180, 2019

Valtra T194, 2019

TELEHANDLERS/WHEELED LOADERS

Kramer KL38.5 Wheeled Loader

JCB 531-70, Telehandler

JCB 541/70, 2018, Telehandler

TRACTOR OF THE MONTH

NEW John Deere 6195M

SHOP SOILED SEASONAL EQUIPMENT DEALS

Kuhn Grass Tedders

GF502 4 rotor grass tedder 5m working width

GF642 4 rotor grass tedder 6.4m working width

GF7903 8 rotor grass tedder 7.8m working width

GF8703 8 rotor grass tedder 9.1m working width

Call your local salesman for pricing details

Kuhn Grass Windrowers

GA4201 Single rotor windrower 4.2m working width

GA4431 Single rotor windrower 4.4m working width

GA6501P Twin rotor windrower 6.4m working width

G7501+ Twin rotor windrower 7.4m working width

GA6501P Twin rotor windrower 6.4m working width G7501+ Twin rotor windrower 7.4m working width

John Deere MoCo’s

F310R Front Mounted MoCo 3.1m working width

331 Rear Mounted MoCo, 3.1m working width

R310R Vertical folding MoCo 3.1m working width

We also have a good selection of used mower/conditioners

for

We also have a good selection of used mower/conditioners Call your local salesman for pricing details

Call your local salesman for pricing details

John Deere Balers

V451M variable chamber round baler

V451R variable chamber round baler (high speed)

We also have a good selection of used Round Balers

Call your local salesman for pricing details

•

IF YOUR FARM TRACK OR FOREST ROAD NEEDS SOME ATTENTION, WE HAVE THE SKILLS, MACHINERY AND EXPERIENCE TO DELIVER A LASTING SOLUTION.

• REDUCES OR ELIMINATES THE NEED TO IMPORT MATERIALS.

• IMPROVES DRAINAGE TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE.

• QUICK AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTION THAT MINIMISES DISRUPTION TO TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS.

• Ploughing/Cultivation

• Grassland Subsoiling

• Fert Spreading

• Spraying • Combining

• Drilling

CONTRACTORS SERVICES

The Ag-bag is a cost efficient, scalable, storage option for all forage & feedstock types

Efficient Harvesting

High Nutrient Retention

www.billrae.co.uk

All General Contracting Services provided, including:

Two high capacity grain mills

Direct drilling / Pasture

Rejuvenation

Ploughing / Sowing

Fertiliser Spreading

Agri Haulage

Groundworks / Dump trailers

Topping & Mulching

Tubeline Bale Wrapping

office@billrae.co.uk

Talking......Organic

Low dry matter losses

Great Flexibility

April 9th 2025

Simon Bainbridge farms in partnership with his wife Claire and his parents, Ivan and Elisabeth in Northumberland. They run suckler beef, sheep and laying hen enterprises across 650 ha of mainly SDA and moorland - organically. When I set about writing this article each month I’ll often think about what’s been happening on the farm, as well as national and global issues. Well, it’s a mixed bag all round this month. On the farm, the main point of note is the glorious weather, albeit a little chilly. It’s such a positive at this time of year, enabling cows and calves to be turned out onto grass, getting crops in the ground, grass actually growing. I hate to compare it to last year, but a quick look back in the files and I was talking about Flood Recovery Funds!

This week we’re aiming to get the wholecrop sown, an organic oat, barley, pea and vetch arable silage, undersown with a multi species ley with white clover. We are also hoping to replenish some of the 6m margins. We drilled several last year, but the conditions that they went in were less than ideal, so we’re having to go over them again. Six acres of wild bird mix will also be sown. The fencing teams are in, fencing off riparian strips, areas of scrub, double fencing for new hedges and repairing boundary fences and the hedging team are in planting the new prepared fencing corridors. We are also beating up the hen ranges with a few extra trees. Calving is going ok. The new Luing heifers are not without their challenges. Several have needed assistance with big calves. In hindsight we perhaps should have put the Angus bull on them first time over, but you live and learn. It’s too early to say whether it’s the bull throwing big calves or whether the Luing heifers have put all the growing, energy and condition into the calf rather than themselves. Having the occasional mad one certainly doesn’t help either - it makes you realise how calm the black baldies are. Lambing starts next week and the bulk of the schools start their Easter holiday from Friday, so watch this space for some freak weather.

BYREWALLS FENCING

All types of Agricultural Fencing, Garden Fencing and Decking

A & E Brown, Byrewalls, Gordon, Berwickshire TD3 6JU Contact: Andrew 07725 583737

At the end of March, Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement and we hosted GB news here on the farm. They interviewed a number of local farmers who were brilliant, speaking from the heart about what the Labour government had done to them. For once, it looked like she might have forgotten us, thankfully, but if I’m honest it means we now need to double our efforts to speak to our local MP’s about the farming outlook and the ongoing challenges. We now face the real costs of the hike in employers NI and increased wage rates. Certainly, for livestock farms it’s a quick escalation, as it is the next few months when we’re employing extra staff. It is also now when we need to be banging the drum about food security, food standards and environmental footprints. The local elections at the beginning of May will be the perfect opportunity to let the government know how we feel at a local level. The escalating tariff war between China and the US will also definitely have a knock on effect on us, but its too early to tell how.

Contact:

Connon Construction Ltd.

Construction of shuttered slurry tanks and silos (all built to SEPA requirements)

Christopher07843 208 544

Patrick07701 040 681

Contact:

Christopher07843 208 544

Connon Farms Greenknowe

Slurry spreading available with umbilical, dribble bars and ferry tankers. Tractors on floatation tyres

Dung spreader hire or complete service

Complete silage service

All types of digger work undertaken

Patrick07701 040 681

Connon Farms / Connon Construction

GARY HOGARTH

AGRI ASSIST & GROUNDWORKS

• ALL GENERAL CONTRACTING WORK • CULTIVATIONS • BED TILLING • DE-STONING

• IRRIGATION • HEDGE CUTTING • MULCHING • TRIPLE SAWBLADE • DRAINAGE

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On Our Farm

April 9th 2025

Hugo Lee farms in partnership with his father, Guy, at Sandystones, near St Boswells. Arable crops of wheat, oilseed rape, malting barley and oats are grown, 500 Angus cattle are finished annually, 8000 organic hens produce eggs for Waitrose and 8,000 organic point of lay pullets are reared each year.

With Donald in charge no day is the same especially now with his recent tariffs bonanza. Thankfully, in the current very unpredictable world we are living in, one thing has remained constant, the weather.

I can’t recall having such a dry and sunny spring for a very long time. All drilling was completed on the 26th March a whole month earlier than we had even started last year! The Spring Barley is almost all rowed up, has had a pre emergence herbicide where required and all its fertiliser. Winter crops are looking really well especially the oilseed rape which has bounced back after a concerning winter. What a difference a year makes, last April I was dreading looking at the rape as it never stopped going backwards, this year is the complete opposite! Thank goodness, as the problem field is in front of our neighbours house. There is nothing worse than having a poor field for all to see. It was a huge relief to get all the drilling wrapped up before we started turning cattle out. Despite the lovely weather grass growth has been slow checked by the regular morning frosts. The first batch of 105 grazing cattle have been processed and turned out. The remaining 113 will arrive over the coming weeks and will be turned out as soon as there is sufficient grass. This is the most cattle we have ever grazed but hopefully the new reseeds and improved pasture management will allow us to carry the extra stock. The only thing we could really do without is a summer drought.

It is amazing how much you can get done when conditions are favourable. All grass fields have been aerated and rolled. Even the pony field has been harrowed, rolled and no longer looks like a ploughed field. Last Friday we had the whole team down at my parents’ house cutting trees, levelling ground, picking stones and sowing grass. My mum has put a huge effort into the garden since we swapped houses. It is slowly being turned from golf course fairway to a farmhouse garden Monty Don would be proud of.

Our hens continue to range outside despite the dreaded bird flu marching slowly northwards. I was hoping that all this sunshine would have helped supress the virus, however cases continue to rise. A housing order has just been implemented for the whole of Northern England as of Monday. We continue to implement the highest levels of biosecurity on the farm as we try everything to prevent getting this terrible disease. I hope that calving and lambing is going well for everyone. There is no better site than young calves and lambs out at grass with the warm April sun on their backs. I should never say it after last spring but we could do with a little bit of r**n soon.

R.Dickson

360 excavator and operator hire, all types of work undertaken. 185hp tractor and operator hire. Contact Richard 07974 369685 dicksonr2023@outlook.com

John Renton

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KENNY HALL & SON

Drilling Spring Barley in fantastic conditions

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• correct variations across fields

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• recommendations to suit your enterprise Contact us to discuss how we can help reduce your costs with the use of organic products Tel 01875 320363 Mob 07703 113178 Email john@j-jgrant.co.uk

•

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Talking......from Lincolnshire

April 7th 2025

Will Howe is an arable farmer from Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The soils are predominantly heavy. There is 1000ha of cropping including winter wheat, spring beans, spring oats and oilseed rape. He also manages a contracting business Thorpe Farming Ltd.

I often think that farming can be the only industry where any positive is at the same time an equal negative. The weather currently is stunning. We haven’t had a cloud in the sky, nor rain for weeks and the daytime temperatures have been reasonable despite a chilling easterly wind. This was fantastic for spring drilling, so much so that this is the first spring drilling where we were not rained off once. Unfortunately rain was always on the forecast so I didn’t Cambridge roll the siltier land for fear of it capping. The result of which is the seedbed had dried out quicker than I had hoped which is to blame for it being a little thin in the row in places.

The winter crops are looking good. They would be moving even quicker if it wasn’t for the cold nights but the winter barley is halfway up my wellie in places and the wheat is a gorgeous dark green colour. This is our first year using variable rate nitrogen which has led to multiple teething problems. All IT related and many well out of my knowledge sphere. On one day I made a total of 43 phone calls trying to rectify issues bouncing between the tractor manufacturer, the sprayer manufacturer, and the mapping company. We have got there in the end but I am still far from convinced by it. We have had to manually overwrite some maps for fear of the barley going flat. Chucking another 110kgN/ha on the best areas of barley to “feed yield” was giving me images of flat, green barley. I was assured the wheat algorithm is more of a proven technology, yet is still incorrect. My black sand always looks amazing this time of year until the drier months start and it begins retreating quicker than the French. The VR was telling me to again increase fertiliser to build yield, yet I know that land will never yield 10t/ha. Yet on my best wheat fields it was telling me to lower the rate of application because the potential was not there. Despite these fields averaging 11t/ ha last time they were wheat. I want to be a modern progressive so I feel I should be trusting the technology, but when it is so clearly wrong I will continue to control it; rather than it control me.

I spend many hours sat behind this computer tinkering with spreadsheets and my most recent ones have been questioning my decision to get out of beef a few years ago. The level of current prices would have made me immune from worrying about such trivial things as inheritance tax and the environment because I would be using my grainstore to house my cash. But I can’t be alone in fearing that this price spike has come at a terrible time with trade deals being negotiated around the world and everyone wanting to sell us cheap meat. The joy of seeing cattle grazing at this time still haunts my decision, and when mentioning this to my father in law yesterday he enquired as to why I wanted cattle again to which I replied; “my mental health”. So why did you get rid of them? “My mental health!!” For every positive there is a negative, welcome to farming!

Drying the winter bird food plots out even more

So this is what Grade 1 silt looks like

•

From Source to Supply

Talking......from the boundary

As I contemplated the thoughts I was going to commit to print last Saturday, my phone pinged with the very sad news of the death of Jamie Innes. He had died that morning, peacefully, at home. I am not going to attempt to write his obituary, I just want to record what he meant to us as a family since we moved to the Borders 35 years ago. Jamie was the most welcoming, enthusiastic and loyal supporter one could look for. He was a true countryman with a love for horses and everything equestrian, he had been Master of the Duke of Buccleuch foxhounds for many seasons, a renowned designer and builder of cross country courses, a stalwart of the point to points held at Friarshaugh erecting and taking down the fences for years as well as being a key individual in the running of the races. When he was no longer able to ride a horse, he took up golf with his usual bon viveur and enthusiasm. He organised our Thursday ‘roll up’ at The Roxburghe golf course, although he might not have a classic swing he had a very good eye and was a most proficient player, scoring two ‘holes in one’ which is more than the vast majority achieve in a lifetime.

Jamie set up ‘Bordaloo’, which became a very successful business. He was often to be seen driving his Landrover with loo in tow, stopcock open disposing of the previous nights revelries on the roads. His name amongst some was Sh*t House Jim!

He was a member of the Jed Forest Club for over 50 years, and was instrumental in ensuring that the young in the area were elected and we were not a group of ‘Old Farts’. Jamie was a fantastic family man always supported by Fanny, Rory and Delly and Melissa. He will be sorely missed.

Guy Lee

Jamie Innes

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Talking......North of the Forth April 7th 2025

Tom Pate farms 240ha of arable on a tenanted farm in Angus. Cropping includes wheat, spring barley, rye and oilseed rape along with land let for potatoes and vining peas. Additionally, around 6500 pigs are reared annually under contract and 600 Christmas turkeys sold directly to the public under the KellyBronze franchise. On his wife’s 380ha family farm in the Angus Glens they also run 200 red deer hinds plus followers for venison production, along with developing a forestry enterprise.

Sprayer co-pilot trained to keep an eye open for electric poles

An incredible spell of weather has allowed good progress on the farm. Spring barley was all sown up by the 17th March and potato land planted by the 4th April. Crops are looking generally well and will really motor once rain arrives. It’s nice to be ahead of schedule for once. This time of year I am mostly to be found in the sprayer applying fungicides, herbicides and liquid fertiliser. Long days in the cab are expected as crops progress, and I chase my tail trying to stay on top of the planned programmes. Unfortunately, the radio in the sprayer is no longer working and I don’t have music or news to help while away the hours. Given the state of the world, not listening to the news is probably very good for my mental health. I therefore just trundle around with the only sound being the familiar clunks, rattles and engine noise from my trusty Multidrive. This leads to an almost Zen-like state where my mind is blank and calm. The only thing that jolts me out of this mellow mind state is the general nuisance of having to fold my booms up for electric poles. Being on the outskirts of a major city there are a number of lines that run through our farm. There are seven large pylons on the farm and around 20 poles in fields. Working around these is a pain, slows work rates and results in poorer yields. Wayleaves don’t really cover the costs and hassle involved (especially if you wrap a boom around a fast-moving telegraph pole – I’ve heard of this happening...).

I often wonder if my forefathers had much say in where these poles were placed or if the relief of finally getting electricity to their farms meant the power companies were given carte blanche to place poles wherever suited. There are certainly several poles I wish had been placed with a bit more consideration to the modern sprayer driver.

Hassle is one thing, but the danger of electric lines is very real and last year I contacted SSEN to supply me with height readings of some of the lines on the farm. From my seat of the combine cab a number of the lines looked scarily close to the lid as I passed under, especially on a hot day when the lines slacken. One line was only 55cm above the 4.75m height of my machine. According to the law the minimum height of an overhead power line is 5.2m but as machines get larger I think this is too low. This minimum height is no longer fit for purpose on arable land where large machinery operates and I would urge the power distribution companies to install taller poles when the time comes to replace old poles. Some lobbying required!

Coincidentally SSEN are currently building a “Transmission Warehouse” on a plot of land between us and Dundee. It was land we once farmed and it is sad to see a good field disappear under steel and concrete. The building is absolutely vast and easily dwarves most buildings in Dundee. I have never seen so much steel and concrete. Interestingly on such a large building there is so far no sign of any solar panels on the acres of roof. I thought for a power distribution company with lofty ambitions around net zero this would have been a given. SSE’s colossal warehouse during construction

Trusty old Multidive needing a new sound system

Tattie team making good progress in perfect conditions

•

Soil

Business

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Talking......Business with SAC Consulting

Life as a consultant

April 2025

I am Tiffany, a Senior Agriculture Consultant in the SAC Consulting St Boswells office in the Scottish Borders. I joined SAC during COVID lockdown in 2020 which provided an interesting start to my time with working from home, online meetings and later social distanced outdoor meetings on farm.

I grew up on a mixed farm in the Scottish Borders with a Romney ewe flock, spring calving Aberdeen Angus X suckler cows and arable cropping. Having thoroughly enjoyed working on the family farm for a few years I made the decision to study Rural Business Management with SRUC in Edinburgh. During a 10 week placement at SAC through SRUC Trainee Trust Scheme

I was inspired to be a consultant and joined the St Boswells office upon finishing my studies.

I quickly realised when I started the vast experience and knowledge of the people in the organisation from the consultants through to the researchers. This breadth of knowledge can then be drawn upon to answer the vast array of questions which farmers ask. It is a job where you are continually learning as it is always changing and evolving. The great thing about SAC Consulting is you can focus in on the areas you are particularly passionate about as well and there is plenty of support.

No two days are the same which keeps every week interesting, ranging from the more typical work of BPS and NVZs to the continually changing grant schemes to carbon audits, business plans, labour plans, crop walking or recording a podcast. It is important to be adaptable to new things as there are always new opportunities. Working one to one with farmers is hugely varied and through the Scottish Farm Advisory Service I work with groups of farmers with discussion groups. Working with farmers is definitely a highlight of the job. Farmers are such knowledgeable people, and you can learn a huge amount from them, and it is a privilege being able to help and guide them on their own journey and seeing the differences, changes and the results being achieved.

SAC is a fantastic place to work with plenty of opportunities and we are always on the look out for new people to join the team whether an experienced consultant or an enthusiastic graduate. Please do get in touch if it is something you could be interested in.

Talking......New Zealand

Bones

BVD and Johnes Accredited Fishwick Mains, Berwickshire TD15 1XQ 01289 386181 Peter: 0777 993 7217

April 1st 2025

Ian Mackenzie is an arable and dairy farmer from the Canterbury Plain in the South Island of New Zealand. He runs a number of fully irrigated intensive cropping farms, producing grain, vegetable and grass seeds with some stock finishing. Harvest is nearly done for the year. Not a great harvest... a typical farmer’s lament really... too dry, then too wet, not enough sun; just crap weather for crop growing, though perhaps not as bad as an old friend from Elgin who told me of a harvest years ago. He said he thought he might have a good crop but the bow wave from the combine washed the barley heads underwater before the header could cut them. That wasn’t our problem fortunately, but the quantity harvested has been disappointing. The outlook for arable farming here is a bit depressing. Inflation has hit the industry particularly hard shrinking margins as our product prices haven’t lifted but fertilizer, fuel and machinery costs have skyrocketed.

The upside is that we are having a good season on the dairy farm with strong grass growth, good production, and buoyant prices; and William’s trucking business has been busy all summer. He moves a lot of straw, grain and silage over the harvest period and then converts to stock crates to move lambs and cattle as demand requires.

The lamb trade has regained confidence from last year. Store lamb prices are high because there is so much grass around, but the market is signalling lifts in the meat price as we go into winter, so there is some hope that there should be a modest margin in the lamb trade to help fill the void left by the poor harvest.

Interestingly our industry “experts” are forecasting both opportunity and disaster for milk and meat as a result of Trump’s war on trade. I find that less than useful, but judging by the huge numbers of American tourists that are coming through looking for sanctuary, any opportunities might be fleeting.